Wimbledon Hockey Club director Ben Marsden cannot wait for the Hockey season to start as the club prepares for life in the English Hockey League.

After three successive promotions through the local leagues, the club can now look forward to playing hockey in the top echelons of the game.

Marsden, though, is not content just to make up the numbers.

He said: “Obviously I am absolutely delighted about our promotion last year. It is our third one in a row and a culmination of a lot of peoples efforts at the club.

“We are aiming at another promotion this year though. We have recruited five new players and pre-season has gone really well so we have got a lot of belief.

“Stepping up to the national league is always going to be tough but we always aim as high as we can.

“Sometimes teams aim for consolidation and they struggle, but if we aim for a number one spot then that is as well as we can do.

“I am so eager to win, I really believe that our momentum can carry us forward.”

The ambitions of the club are certainly high and Marsden – who has played hockey at international level – explained that improvements off the pitch were just as important as those on it.

He added: “We are doing a lot of group sessions, we are filming all the matches, we have got a brand new kit and a team minibus.

“It isn't pro football but we are trying to bring the professionalism of the club up to a new level.

“We will have tactical meetings and things like that plus the players will have physiotherapy available, so we are trying to tick all the sports science boxes.

“This is a fantastic club and it deserves to be as professional as possible.”

Wimbledon kick off their campaign against Sevenoaks on September 17 and Marsden said it would be a game to remember.

“We have our cheerleaders, live bands, flares going off, fireworks you name it. All the teams will be there to support us, it will be a great day.”

Wimbledon’s first three games: Sep 19 Sevenoaks (h), Sep 25 Bromley and Beckenham (h), Oct 02 Indian Gymkhana (a).